The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-03-19

tenths of the $4,000 expended by the city
yearly In Ottawa, and pays about sixtenth'
OF the taxes There may be some who may
say our appropriation last August was only
$35 900 and Sl2,2 200 was TO pay interest OF
bonded debt of see 900, and $4,000 of til,
principal Of said debt, and that | have put
II $1,000 too high. No, gentlemen, ther,
was fully sum received In the city treas
ury In excess Of the 1000 tax levy, tC
make the $4,000, and what has North
Ottawa TO do with the SIC POO levied TO pay
bonded debt and Interest," There was moi
cent expended In North Ottawa, nor has
there been over $4,000 spent for bridges IL
North Ottawa since the old Fox river
bridge ON Main street was bought by the
city, from which time over 100000 has
been expended for bridges across the FoA
and Illinois rivers In South Ottawa, and
the present city indebtedness Is some $l7,
800 after the bonds maturing this year are
paid, all of which was engineered by the
court house clique, Lsmenta BILE as 1t Is
the election of the aldermen Is done by
clique and ring work, and the passage OF
any ordinance of any importance is done in
the same way, and the mayor has TO sue
cumb to the same influence. And for mere
particulars about him, see small bills-his
picture, and the picture of his big headed
hacker, and their defeat nj the bucking
game In the Chicago Herald. There is moth
ing but whole truth when we say we have
the weakest council of any city of our size
In America, and everything is run by ring
law, that makes sensible city legislation
impossible; and my opinion is, that all
whose terms expire should be turned out
They have found the way to get the money
without regard to law, end have also
learned how TO expend 1t without making
any show for Its expenditure, and out they
ought TO go, or the city finances will be like
the ccunty's in few years, The city is
beginning like the county began some years
ago.
Then again, does our city council dc
even such work as the ordinance provides
to be done in and to Its streets where new
corners locate? Has it ever done stroke
of work on the streets or alleys near the
De La Chapelle works? The Ottawa Win
dow Glass Works? or the Ottawa Bottle
Works? The answer is No! No! No!
The coal ashes were there to grade the
streets, but the street supervisor was around
the court house, and Mr.. De La Chapelle
used other teams to make his street passa-
tle and the rest will be done when we get
sensible city council. Yes, could GO
on and tell about issuing interest bearing
orders at per cent.-they have some of
them standing out now, and there is nc
question about their illegality-and many
other things In regard to their ordinances
&c, but have not the time at present, but
/, for one, intend to follow this matter up
and If the city council do not work ia ac-
cordance with law in the future, will see
what can be done in legal way about the
matter.
We have had what has been called a
Business Mems Association for some five
years, but don't see the good they have
done. | believe heard the editor of the
Times say" Well, if we have done nothing
else, we have caused people to slick up
their yards and paint up their houses"
would say in reply the Business Mems AS
ISOLATION had nothing to do with this. 1t
was commenced soon after mot before) l
painted up my opera house property, and
if you look around town you will see how
many have chosen my colors-cOlors that
spent three or four days in picking out
in order to get contrasting effect, and
still harmonious one.
This Business Mems Association are now
trying to reorganize on the same old plan,
and with the same old president, and l
can't see as they can do anything more or
Better than they have done in the past
One of our past sins was the reputation of
the Eames bonds, and another was the re-
pudlation of the rail road bonds (so-called),
If the reputation will stand, which is a
little in doubt at the present time. This
was court house square ring business, and
| believe if said bonds been paid in
stead of repudiated, Ottawa would be a
much more thriving town than it is today,
and be worth ten times more in the COM
mercial world than it now is.
Yes! Ottawa has got to see that the
present muddle in county affairs is straight
ened out, and new men gotten on the
board as far as we can do so. Secondly, it
has got to have a new mayor, and new
council, and nearly all new city and town
officers; men who will do something them
selves, and secure others to come here, and
when they come here, treat them as though
there was some obligation felt for their
coming, and that the city authorities and
all of us were glad they came.
We have all got to pull together, but
l.. 49,.